Arum: Pacquiao vs. Matthysse is Now a Pretty Even Fight

Top Rank's CEO, Bob Arum, believes eight division champion Manny Pacquiao (59-7-2, 38 KOs) is in for a very tough fight when he steps in the ring with WBA "regular" welterweight champion Lucas Matthysse (39-4, 36 KOs) of Argentina in Kuala, Lumpur, Malaysia on July 14.

This past Monday, Matthysse's promoter, Oscar De La Hoya of Golden Boy Promotions, announced the fight was finalized on social media.

Top Rank will distribute the fight in the United States on ESPN - possibly as a pay-per-view event.

Back in 2015, there was talk of a deal coming together for a Pacquiao vs. Matthysse fight in early 2016 - but Matthysse was unexpectedly stopped by Viktor Postol.

Back then Pacquiao was a huge favorite to win, but now he's 39-years-old and coming off a unanimous decision loss to Jeff Horn from last July.

Although many felt he did enough to win the contest with Horn, the majority of those critics also felt Pacquiao appeared to be a few steps off his game and starting to show his age.

Since 2016, when Pacquiao became a senator back home in the Philippines, he's become a part-time fighter with his boxing career revolving around his political work schedule.

Pacquiao will also enter this fight without the services of longtime trainer Freddie Roach - as the Filipino star will instead use close friend Buboy Fernandez. Roach has trained Pacquiao since 2001 and helped guide him to his biggest career victories.

“[Matthysse will give him] a very good run for his money and it’s a tough fight for Manny, but hopefully he will be successful,” Arum told The Manila Times.

"I think he (Pacquiao) has a very good chance, very good chance, but he got to train very hard. And you know, maybe a couple of years ago, Manny would be a big favorite but now it is a pretty even fight."

[QUOTE=Mzembe;18733541]--------------------------------------------------------
[B]I could do that but when you keep posting garbage on a public forum[/B] you know someone's gotta respond.
Even if [B]I am wrong about my analysis[/B], tell me one thing, how does that make me a moron?
Notice…

[QUOTE=Boxing Goat;18731972]Ya know what, just shut up you moron[/QUOTE]
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I could do that but when you keep posting garbage on a public forum you know someone's gotta respond.
Even if I am wrong about my analysis, tell me one…

[QUOTE=Mzembe;18731670]-------------------------------------------
I just listed a few BUMS that he fought. Of course he fought some HoF at featherweight and lightweight but he won some and lost some. It wasn't like he dominated them. He lost to Morales and he lost…

[QUOTE=Boxing Goat;18703263]Name the [email protected] ten or so hall of famers he fought you twit. Gtfoh[/QUOTE]
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I just listed a few BUMS that he fought. Of course he fought some HoF at featherweight and lightweight but he won some and…

[QUOTE=Mzembe;18701186]-------------------------------------
Maybe. But you still aren't answering the simplest and most logical question posed to you ... why is Pac fighting BUMS?
Do you think Brandon Rios was a worthy opponent? Or Algieri? Or Mathysse? Or David Diaz? .... the…